‘Personally, I am against vaccination’; see Djokovic’s phrases in the pandemic

Novak Djokovic, unless a turnaround occurs, will not compete in the Australian Open. He traveled to Melbourne imagining he had a special permit, but, without proof of vaccination against Covid-19, he was held up at the airport and was not allowed to enter the country by the authorities.

When he announced that he was leaving for the tournament, the Serb generated revolt in part of the Australian population, which has been subjected to restrictions because of the increase in cases of infection with the new coronavirus. Tennis fans were also angered by what they saw as a privilege for the 34-year-old, who has taken a stand against vaccination practically since the beginning of the pandemic.

The tennis player has generated negative repercussions with phrases and attitudes linked to Covid-19 since 2020. In June of that year, still at one of the most critical moments in the spread of Sars-Cov-2 across the planet, he organized a friendly championship in Serbia and Croatia. in which distance and greater health care were not observed.

The contest had to be called off because several participants were infected, including Djokovic himself, as well as his wife. Even so, the world number one did not regret having promoted the competition – which had full stands – and uttered new phrases that made him be called a denialist.

“I am against vaccination” had been one of the first, back in April 2020. Before, he had said he was averse to medication and surgery. Later, the Serbian returned to oppose the science he called traditional and defended unorthodox theses, such as that thought can purify water.

Check out some of the statements given by the athlete during the pandemic (and one before it)

“I cried for two or three days after the surgery on my elbow. Every time I thought about what I did, I felt like I had failed myself. I was trying to avoid getting on that table. [de cirurgia] because I’m not a fan of operations or medications. […] I believe our bodies are mechanisms that heal themselves.”
In November 2018, about the medical intervention he underwent on his elbow

“Personally, I am against vaccination and would not want to be forced by someone to get the vaccine in order to travel.”
As of April 2020, about mandatory vaccination

“I know people who, through energetic transformation, through the power of prayer, through gratitude, have managed to transform the most toxic food or perhaps the most polluted water into the most healing water.”
In May 2020, about the power of thought

“I don’t think I did anything bad, to be honest. I feel sorry for the people who got infected. But do I feel guilty for anyone who got infected from that point forward in Serbia, Croatia and the region? Of course not.”
In August 2020, about the cases of Covid-19 in the tournament he organized, the Adria Tour

“The intentions were right and correct, and if I had the chance to do the Adria Tour again, I would do it again.”
In August 2020, still about the friendly championship

“I won’t reveal my status, whether I’ve been vaccinated or not. It’s a private matter and an inappropriate question.”
As of October 2021, about your immunization process (or lack of one)